Until we meet again
by mamoo999
Summary: Season 7: EP1. Kate stands frozen, she is in shock. Her eyes are focused on the horror just over the edge of the embankment. With trembling hands she holds onto her wedding dress. The heels she'd carefully selected for this day are sinking into the soft dirt, the earth continues to shift and crumble underneath her feet...Just like her hopes and dreams of a future with Castle-
1. Chapter 1

My take on season seven.

Spoiler alert, just kidding I don't know anymore than you.

thanks for reading.

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><p>Rick felt himself being dragged. Something wasn't right, he was supposed to be getting married. He didn't need to be dragged down the aisle. Hell, he'd been the one who couldn't wait to get married. He struggled to focus. "Guys, guys there is no need to drag me just let me get my bearings." Espo and Ryan were playing tricks on him. "Is this because I didn't want strippers at my bachelor party?" Rick blinked furiously trying hard to focus, but there was something in his eyes. His vision was blurred. Reaching up he gingerly touched his head, it felt sticky.<p>

Then he remembered a black sedan was following him. He'd slowed to allow the vehicle to pass instead it sped up and rammed him off the road.

The weight of what transpired hit him. You know that feeling, the one where you know in gut something is wrong. Well that's the one he'd felt moments before his Mercedes flew through the air, over an embankment.

His last thought was he was really glad he drove the Mercedes, the safety features were phenomenal.

He'd crawled or was dragged from the car. He couldn't really remember exactly, just when he'd decided things couldn't get any things got worse. His car burst into flames. He raised his hand to shield his eyes from the heat, he blinked rapidly but his eyes wouldn't focus.

He wished he had something to clear his vision-"be careful what you wish for darling." He heard his mothers sing-song voice in his head and before her voice trilled the end note of darling a steady stream of water poured on his face. If this was what water boarding felt like he didn't want any part of it, his mind shifted to Kate and the water torture she endured at the hands of Vulcan Simmons. This was nothing. Coughing and spitting Rick shut his eyes and tried to breathe through his nose. Instinctively putting his hand up in front of his face. That's when he felt the cold steel snap shut around his wrists.

The dread of things to come weighed heavy. Somewhere deep down, he knew this wasn't going to be near as much fun as when Kate cuffed him.

Kate-was she alright? He couldn't give up now. He was getting married damn it Everything they'd been through. This wasn't how their story ended. He'd waited too long to let some asshole screw things up now. The mob, and ex-husbands be damned.

The water and the flood of tears helped his vision. Rick blinked rapidly to help focus. He almost wished he hadn't.

Coming into focus was none other than Jerry Tyson. Rick knew it was the sadistic son-of-a-bitch 3XK killer immediately. He'd changed his face, but the soulless eyes gave him away. He couldn't change that feature. The snarky comment was out of his mouth, before his brain registered it wasn't the best idea he'd ever had. "Of all the faces Kelly could have sculpted, seriously that's the one you choose?" Rick braced for the assault. Tyson didn't disappoint. "Give her my regards" Rick wheezed out as he rolled over on his side.

"She's dead" Tyson voice was devoid of emotion.

Rick knew once Tyson used her to further his sick plan. He killed her. A sociopath didn't feel any compassion. Getting rid of Kelly was just like tossing last nights dinner scraps. The purpose fulfilled it didn't make any sense to keep them around. Who knew what sick fascination she saw in the killer.

He never understood why some people wrote letters to serial killers In prison. He didn't understand Their motive, why would they seek a relationship with a psychopath? What did they hope to gain? Most would never meet face to face. He was fascinated with the motive behind the murder he sought out the story, but he didn't a relationship with a killer. His bride-to-be fought for justice. She fought for the ones who no longer had a voice. Tyson interrupted his thoughts.

"I spent months of planning, So that I could disappear. You just couldn't let it go could you? The writer who has to know the story." Tyson struggled to maintain his composure. "What's the matter Castle your diva mother never teach you curiosity killed the cat." Tyson yanked Rick to his feet. His last words, hissed in Rick's ears. "Didn't you learn anything with our last encounter? I set you up for murder. You only got off because I allowed you to, you're sole purpose was to witness my death. You couldn't even get that right."

Tyson shoved Rick forward. Small twigs snapped as castle's dress shoes slipped as he struggled with the uneven terrain. The slick soles were made for dancing not hiking through the woods and He didn't believe they were going to grandmas house either.

His tux was being ripped apart by the low tree branches. He was grateful his hands were cuffed in front of him. It made traveling a little easier.

Rick realized Tyson was putting as much distance from the crash site as possible. He wondered who drove the other car if Tyson was here with him. This time he kept his mouth shut. He was trying to come up with a plan. What would Beckett do? She would shoot his ass that's what she would do.

Rick stumbled and was rewarded with a jab in his back.

"Forgive me, but I was going to my wedding I-I'm not dressed for hiking." Rick was pissed. He was supposed to be getting married. His heart sank as he thought of Kate. They'd come so far, no way this was how their story ended. He wanted his ever after. The writer never doubted for a minute they would be happy.

He willed himself to survive, whatever it took. He would not be the cause of Kate spiraling down the rabbit hole. Falling into the same self-destructive path she took when her mom died.

He'd almost lost her then. He damn sure wasn't going to lose her now.

Tyson snarled, the writer slowed. He shoved Rick forward. "Come on castle, miles to go before we sleep."

"Robert Frost? _The woods are lovely dark and deep. And I've got miles to go before I sleep miles to go before I sleep_. Isn't that a little to meta, even for you."

"Just because I don't read the drivel you write, doesn't mean I do not appreciate good works of literature. The arts, fine wine. Oh and the last time I stopped by your place I grabbed a bottle of Sancerre. I hope you don't mind. I was doing you a favor really, after all we both know your mother is one glass shy of becoming a full-fledged alcoholic."

Rick lunged at Tyson his shoes lost traction right before he reached him, his momentum pushed him forward head first into face a bush. Tyson laughed out loud. "If your lovely bride-to-be could only see you now she'd surely change her mind."

Tyson voice changed with his next breath. "Try anything like that again and I will gut you and leave you here to rot. Do you understand?" The cold emotionless timber of his voice convinced Rick now was not the time. Tyson won this battle. Rick planned on winning the war.

Rick got up and nodded that he understood. He wisely remained silent, his focus only focus was to survive and wait for an opportunity to end Jerry Tyson. This time he would make damn sure he was dead.

"Gee, Castle I'm disappointed in you. Aren't you going to ask me why are you doing this?" Tyson said mockingly in a high-pitched voice. "They all want to know why. It's the age-old question really, boring but necessary for the small-minded."Tyson continued without any prompting from Rick.

"It's simple really. I promised you I'd return, I sent you a little song 'till we meet again.' I wanted something a little more cryptic but Kelly insisted you were to thick to figure out a real clue."

"We don't have to worry about her interfering now do we. I was reading an ad on a site it's similar to your Craig's list. He kindly explained. The web site is strictly for professionals like myself. It took a year to be for me to be accepted. The verification process is tedious. Anyway the site allows you a source to buy certain items for instance the green and white nylon rope that I prefer, or offer your services. The keeper of this site is a computer guru, he can hack into NORAD and not leave a footprint. Relax he's not a war mongrel his passion is for young boys. Let's just say his tastes demand he keep a low profile."

Rick was glad he was walking in front of Tyson. The evil and vile spewing from his lips sickened him. He knew he needed to listen, but it was difficult. Tyson was a sick and twisted individual. He wondered if the serial killer was born because of twisted relationship with his mother or an evil that he was born with.

Tyson kept talking as they walked. "If I go to a hardware store to purchase my rope it's 'marked' a picture of the purchaser date time and location is sent directly to Quantico in Virginia. I don't want the FBI tracking me. It's not likely they would ever catch me but, even a blind hog finds an acorn every now and then."

Tyson laughed eerily. "Listen to me prattle on, there was a contract for you listed on the site, and the payer wanted you alive. It seems they wanted to have the pleasure of killing you themselves. I don't need the money Kelly provided me with a fortune. She helped several receive a new identity and they paid very well. I just couldn't pass up the opportunity."

Their walk continued silently for a few miles when Tyson started talking again.

"I decided what a lovely way for us to meet again, with the added bonus of interrupting your wedding. It's not very nice to interrupt someone's plans is it? Months of planning wasted." Tyson let out a sigh. "I feel so much better after our little chat don't you?"


	2. Chapter 2

_I have a Beta!_

_Thank you Elizabeth!_

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><p><em>This can't be happening-not after everything we've been through….. <em>Kate franticly made her way down the steep embankment.

Kate stumbled and fell numerous times, but each time she got up and kept pushing, her determination to get to him stronger than the challenge of traversing the unforgiving terrain. She stumbled again, painstakingly inching her way closer to him.

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The fire flared and pushed Kate back; she raised her hands in front of her face to shield it from the intense heat and watched in horror as the flames boiled out of the car; it was fully involved.

Kate looked up toward the sky. She needed help; no, she needed _him_. The bride-to-be felt the mist fall from the sky before she saw it.

The fire-fighters were at the top of the ravine with their water hoses aimed at the blazing car and Kate watched the water patterns change from a fog spray to a full-on direct assault, their hoses all trained directly on the burning car. She blinked rapidly; she _had_ to see.

_Drowning would be better than burning to death_. _I was with him once, trapped in a car. I remember being mad at him for leaving me to search for my gun; I knew he was trying to save us, but I just wanted my last moments on earth to be with him. I was abandoned as the water rose higher and higher. Scared, though not of dying; I thought I was alone until I woke up and he was right there smiling up at me; those big beautiful blue eyes filled with love _- Kate's attention snapped back to the here and now.

The fire-fighters opened the hose nozzles full force and the water rained upon Kate's shoulders, her sodden dress weighting her down. Each step was slowed, every fiber in her being screamed _get to him, you have to save him, it's not too late_.

Everything was happening so fast that her world was spinning out of control, but Kate experienced every sound and smell. It was if the earth halted its rotation and she was stuck in a slow-motion world. The car was still smoldering when she made another attempt to get closer.

Kate closed her eyes, she didn't want to look but knew she had to. She gritted her teeth and willed herself to open her eyes. She couldn't believe what she saw. Everything inside the car was burned away. The only thing left was a smoldering frame. Kate focused on the driver's seat, it was _empty_.

Kate stood transfixed, staring into the car. "He's not in the car," she looked up, shaking her head. She repeated once again, her voice breaking from the overwhelming stress of the moment, "he's not in the car."

Her announcement echoed through the crowd. His family was gathered at the top of the embankment anxiously awaiting any news of a beloved son, father, and friend.

_Where is he_? That was the question on everyone's mind.

Espo descended and helped Kate up the slippery embankment. Lanie, her maid of honor, was waiting at the top. Kate could read the heartbreak in her best friend's eyes. The feisty medical examiner had championed the two finally getting together and Kate wished she'd listened to her sage advice… "Girl, you need to pull your head out of your ass and go for it." If she had, maybe she wouldn't be standing in a ruined dress alone on her wedding day.

Ryan wasn't aware he shook his head as Kate came into view. His eyes trained on her mother's beautiful wedding gown, covered with mud and soot.

Kate had been so happy for him when he married Jenny, her eyes shining as she and Castle, her plus one, congratulated him and his bride. Jenny had told him that night, after watching the pair dance the night away, that they would be the next ones to get married. He had laughed her off because Castle and Beckett weren't even a couple then. The happily married Irish man's heart was breaking for her; she hadn't deserve this, neither of them did.

Kate nodded as each of her friends uttered assurances that they would find him. They were trying to remain strong for her, but she could read the fear in their eyes. She knew she needed to get moving, time was ticking and each second counted.

Espo took Ryan and began to reconstruct the events leading up the Mercedes going over the embankment. They locked eyes and nodded as they reached the same conclusion after picking up the broken tail light cover off the pavement; that this was no accident, someone had pushed Castle off the road. This changed everything; now it was personal.

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Kate's brain was focused on finding him. There were so many variables: was he hurt? Espo and Ryan had proved that he was forced off the road; who had done it? She mentally ran down the list of suspects. It was a long one because she and Castle had put so many dirt bags away over the years. Mob hit, alien abduction? Kate rolled her eyes Castle's wild theories definitely rubbed off on her.

She smiled as she recalled their memories, wonderful moments shared through the years. She barely remembered life before him, she hadn't have much of one, her only focus was finding justice for her mom and living had been pushed to the back-burner, but not today - _I will find you, Castle_.

Kate uttered assurances to Martha and Alexis that she didn't even believe to be true, not at the moment anyway, but they were staring at her as if she held the answers to all of life's mysteries.

The heartbroken detective believed in her soul that he was still alive. She _felt_ him, and that was the only thing holding her together.

The Hampton's police officer on scene didn't flinch when Kate started issuing orders. He knew full well that this was out of her jurisdiction, but the man missing was one of her own. The officer had heard the stories from Chief Brady, how the detective and her missing fiancé uncovered the drug ring and the murderer of Aaron Lerner. It was the biggest case to come to the sleepy little hide-away of the rich and famous.

Brady had taken another job "so he could be a real cop" instead of enforcing leash laws to protect the locals' pristine flower beds. He said after the case he couldn't go back to just presiding over the sleepy little community. He needed more.

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Kate set up a command center at the Hampton's house, in her mind it was ground zero.

The first night she listened in on every interview the boys conducted. They talked to each wedding guest and caterer that had access to the grounds and she used Castle's storyboard to construct her timeline.

It was three in the morning before she stopped. The boys had insisted that they all get some sleep. She was talking incoherently and would freeze in place for several seconds at a time. Kate reluctantly agreed. She saw how tired they were and realized it was pointless to continue until the new day dawned.

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Kate pulled a t-shirt that held his scent out of the laundry hamper. She kicked off her shoes and climbed into bed, not even bothering to get undressed. With his shirt clutched tightly in her hands, she raised it up, closed her eyes and inhaled; _his_ warm and musky scent filled her nostrils.

The would-be-bride buried her nose in his shirt and cried herself to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks for reading,

Let me know what you think.

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><p>Exhausted the jilted bride finally fell asleep around four a.m. Kate had cried until she'd ran out of tears. Rick's twisted shirt was sopping wet.<p>

The shock of the previous days events were morphing into anger. The rage she felt was consuming her, it pushed her to find the person or people responsible. Her resolve was fueled by her desire to rain down havoc on who ever was responsible for taking the love of her life from her.

Kate surprised herself, knowing full well she wouldn't stop until she'd found him, and heaven help the poor bastard's if they'd hurt him. She didn't care what it cost her. If she lost her badge so-be-it. She was out for justice….only this time around she was more than willing to bend the rules. Bend, break, hell she would shatter them if that's what it took to get him back.

The feisty detective learned how from the best, Rick's dad AKA Jackson Hunt, and Rick himself did what it took to get Alexis back. Kate stayed the course, played by the book, and in the end Rick and his estranged dad were the ones who brought Alexis back.

Kate's gut instinct told her that the outcome would have turned out vastly different if Castle and Hunt hadn't came in when they did. She knew now that Volcoff was never going to let Alexis live. He wanted revenge and he didn't care who he took down, he was only out to satisfy his blood thirsty lust. Kate understood Rick wouldn't let her promise him that she'd bring Alexis back. He knew he'd never be able to forgive her if she'd died. He would have fallen down the rabbit hole with the death of his daughter, and Kate or anyone else wouldn't be able to pull him back from the abyss.

She barely made it out herself. It took Rick a long time to bring her out of the black and into the world of the living.

She'd been stuck in a world where the only thing she saw was her mother slumped against the wall in a filthy alley. She was left to die like a piece of garbage.

Kate was afraid for Rick. Losing Alexis would have broken him. Kate witnessed first-hand how her writer loved without reservation. He loved with his entire heart. It's just who he is-

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><p>Rick woke up. His head felt like trained circus bears were dancing around in it. The constant pounding and unrelenting pressure was unbearable. <em>I've felt this before <em>he thought. Rick opened his eyes, he was extremely confused and disoriented, and he was really having a hard time trying to make sense of his current situation.

He was lying on a bed fully dressed, minus his shoes and socks. His tattered tux had been replaced by a Hawaiian shirt and Bermuda shorts. He lifted his hand and rubbed it over a small bump. That was his first clue in discovering, that he'd been drugged_. This is just like the time I woke up and Kate's head was resting on my shoulder. I thought we were getting abducted by aliens._

The unique headache was the second clue. Not remembering was the third, and the final one that led him to determine what had happened.

His brain struggled to recall what happened_. He remembered he was driving. He was going to marry Kate…and then…he was run off the road…..Tyson! That bastard must have drugged me before he handed me over to who ever is doing this_. Rick remembered Tyson told him he'd kidnapped him for someone else. He didn't believe the lying bastard at the time, but it looks like he may have actually told the truth for once.

Rick closed his eyes he felt like he was going to be sick. The room was rocking-_wait isn't it supposed to be spinning?_ His blue eyes popped open. He was still fighting the pain and nausea. He willed himself to get up.

He stood. The room was definitely moving. Rick shuffled over to a small porthole and looked out. The only thing in his field of vision was water.

He closed his eyes, as if he could erase the vision from his head_. This can't be right, I was in the woods with Tyson and then_- He couldn't remember anything else. He woke up to this. What ever this was. His left arm rose unconsciously to feel the small bump again. _Why can't I remember?_

"Oh no, hell no!" his fury overtook him, he picked up the nearest item which so happened to be one of his scuffed black leather wedding shoes that he'd marched through the woods in. He hurled it across the room. The shoe slammed into the tiny cabin wall and the sound rang in the writer's ears. "This can't be happening." Rick franticly began searching for _anything that_ would help him make sense of this nightmare he was trapped in. His fuzzy head was made worse by the rage that boiled inside him.

Rick looked up and cursed the universe, but really his anger was directed at one man and his name was Jerry Tyson. "You sick son-of-a-bitch, when I kill you this time you will stay dead!"

Rick closed his eyes, he thought of Kate and fears made his heart seize- she believes Tyson died in the fall from the bridge, she won't be prepared for an attack from him. He closed his eyes again and tried to calm his racing heart. He couldn't think while he was in such a state of rage.

He needed to calm himself, he thought of the one person who could, Kate. He thought of Kate, his beautiful Kate. Rick's nostrils flared as he inhaled deeply, he was trying to recall her scent. His hand rose and searched the air for her. He could see her in his mind so clearly. He'd spent years studying every curve of her lovely face. He remembered how he felt when he touched her smooth skin for the first time. He recalled the way the sun changed the color of her hair. He saw her smiling at him her eyes filled with love. He loved the adorable way she ducked her head when she was embarrassed. His breath hitched as he told her "I love you so much." Rick opened his eyes, he was calmer.

He'd waited for the day that they would be together, the day they stood before their family and friends as they shared their love and commitment to each other. His heart broke knowing he wasn't there to take her hand from her fathers. He'd wanted to proclaim his love for her in front of their families. The tears spilled from his eyes. He dried them with the sleeve of his tacky Hawaiian Shirt the basterd's dressed him in.

"You need to get it together" he told himself. His watery blue eyes dried-up as his determination rose. He would get back to Kate or die trying, and he would find his way back to her, but first he needed to find out where he was.

He began his search.

The determined groom-to-be made his way through the small door of the cabin. He had to duck to get his large frame through the narrow curved opening. He discovered there was a small head off of the tiny bedroom that he'd awoken in. Rick stretched out both arms, his palms rested on both of the walls.

He flipped the mattress over on the bed with one hand-nothing he found nothing. He searched every nook and cranny of the boat.

Nothing made any sense. He found food, water, clothing, bathing supplies. _Why? _ Was the question he kept asking himself?

Rick finally sat down dejected on the chair in the galley. He went over the things he knew. He was on a boat, that fact he'd become painfully aware of. He closed his eyes and scrubbed his face in his large hands, as he opened his eyes he saw what he'd missed.

It was hiding in plain sight. An old fashioned typewriter, it looked exactly like the one he kept in his office. It was something he was used to seeing everyday. He'd overlooked it in his original search. He was upset because he'd overlooked it. His brain didn't register it because it was familiar.

He vowed he wouldn't make the same mistake twice. He would search every square inch of this boat.

He angrily yanked the pristine sheet of paper from the machine. He recognized the quality of the paper. It was bonded, not the run of the mill typing paper that came in a ream of 500. This was quality paper, the kind that was sold a sheet at a time in an office supply store. It was cream colored and infused with linen. He also noticed it wasn't typed on this machine. It was most likely copied onto the paper. It didn't have the indentions that typing on this machine would make.

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><p>Richard Castle<p>

Greetings,

By now you've ascertained that you are on a boat. I will tell you it's located somewhere in the North Atlantic. I wouldn't get your hopes up for a rescue; you are well beyond any of the shipping routes. I must also inform you that the boat has been disabled, and the signaling devices have also been removed.

I have provided plenty of food and water. I want you to live….the tradeoff of course is that you will be living the rest of your life alone as I am. A prisoner just as you has made me. Isolated from the world and everything you love.

I wanted you to experience the isolation and loneliness of being stripped from your loved ones. The special pain that comes from having your freedom ripped from you.

I must admit taking you on your wedding day was an added treat. Our mutual acquaintance, Jerry Tyson, or Jerrod Brown is the name he is using these days…..He suggested it would be poetic justice.

I must confess I am distraught over not being able to witness your journey into the abyss. I will however derive great pleasure knowing that you will suffer.

I have wealth as you do, but this I ask you "What good is money without the freedom to spend it?"

Oh, your almost bride Kate is very distraught. I wouldn't be surprised if she lost her job. She really is a wildcat…. I'm sure she will move on when she realizes that you are never coming back.

I am rather curious- How long do you think she will wait for you?

I imagine she won't have to worry about finding someone to replace you. She is after all a striking woman.

You will soon discover the monotony of isolation. It's rather cruel really.

Best wishes, my fellow suffer.

Mickey Barbozza

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><p>The letter slid from Rick's trembling fingers.<p>

Mickey Barbozza, he was the mob hit man that was busted when Kate and he were trying to get Rogan O' Leary to sign the divorce papers. The biker gang that O' Leary owed money to turned him in for the 100,000 .00 reward that the FBI posted. Barbozza was hiding for over a decade before he was caught. He must blame Kate and me for getting caught.

No….No…No-

Rick flipped the bolt on the cabin door and slid the hatch open. He climbed the ladder and stood on the deck of the small boat.

His eyes rotated 360 degrees; the only thing in his line of sight was ocean.

Rick would soon discover as promised in the letter. The boat was rendered immobile. It would float upon the ocean day after endless day.

He was alone.


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